Monroe

Formed June 29, 1815 (6^th county)

Monroe County (19,770), Monroeville (5,947)

The classic brick courthouse was replaced in 1962 with the current tan brick structure.  It is located on a square at Alabama, Pineville, Mount Pleasant and Claiborne streets.  Sherlock, Smith, and Adams were the building architects of this Modern style courthouse.  Alabama Street is Alabama State Highway 21.  The old courthouse sits next to the current facility.  The building has columns and the grounds feature veteran memorials and a gazebo.  Both the county and county seat were named for President James Monroe.  The county was created on June 29, 1815 from Creek Territory as the 6^th county.  Claiborne and Monroeville have served as the only county seat. 

Monroe County government consists of a sheriff, revenue commissioner, and coroner (executive).  It has 5 commissioners (legislative.)  A Circuit Judge serves Monroe and Conecuh counties and a District Judge, a Probate Judge, a District Attorney, and a County Clerk serve Monroe County (judicial.)  The county is situated in southwest Alabama between Montgomery, Alabama, northeast, and Mobile, Alabama, southwest.  The Alabama River is most of its west border.  The center of the county is 3.3 miles North-Northwest of Monroeville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Wilcox, Butler, Conecuh, Escambia, Baldwin, and Clarke counties.  Monroeville is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 30.1% of the county population.

The county has an area of 1025.7 square miles.  It ranks 9 out of 67 in size.  It ranks 46 out of 67 in population in the state.  It has a density of 18.9 persons per square mile making it 55 out of 67 in the state.  Monroe County has 41.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 84 crosses east to west in the county from Conecuh County to Clarke County.  The county looks like a capital J.  Monroeville is near the center of the county.